Vacuuming apparatuses for particulate matter are well known in the prior art. Portable, heavy-duty vacuum collector apparatus are commonly used in industrial and other applications to collect wet and/or dry particulate materials. In a variety of industrial situations, the particulate matter to be collected may vary widely in particulate size and weight and in some instances, even include liquids. The efficient removal of particulate matter is required for the efficient operation of any industrial process. In recent years, serious import has been given to the health and safety factors associated with particulate matter in industrial operations. Of particular concern has been the cleanup of asbestos and asbeatoa-related products previously used in the construction industry and the cleanup of spills of hazardous particulate matter such as dioxin which threatened the health and safety of the public.
In the cleanup of such hazardous or toxic waste, it is important to ensure that the particulate matter collected is not reintroduced into the ambient atmosphere. It is also important to ensure that the particulate matter in very small size ranges is also collected from the airstream.
Mobile vacuum loaders presently utilized in the industry are presently disclosed in several U.S. patents; U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,893; U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,226; U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,236; U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,461; U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,670 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,283.
Of the aforementioned patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,893 to Shaddock, and assigned to Peabody Meyers Corporation, represents one of the most popular mobile vacuum loaders in the industry.
Applicant is the holder of several U.S. patents directed towards improved methods for collection of particulate waste. In particular, Applicant is the holder of U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,162 for a low pressure HEPA filtration system for particulate matter utilized in conjunction with a system similar to that as disclosed by Shaddock in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,893. Further, Applicant is the holder of U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,187 which illustrates a particulate separation chamber for the collection of hazardous particulate matter ensuring that the hazardous particulate matter does not escape to the ambient atmosphere and is disposable within the collection system disclosed by Applicant in the aforementioned patent.
Applicant's present invention is directed to certain improved modifications to a mobile vacuum loader such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,893 when used in conjunction with Applicant's disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,187 in order to ensure that the mobile vacuum loader can be effectively emptied without the possibility of the particulate matter collected by the mobile vacuum loader escaping to the ambient atmosphere.